When Will I Be Notified?

It is important that your financial aid application is received and is complete by the suggested priority deadline:

  • Freshmen and new transfers: December 15
  • Continuing students: May 1

The Financial Aid Office will begin to process financial aid applications for the fall term in the preceding spring. First-time, full-time freshmen financial aid awarding will begin for new students in mid-December. Processing of financial aid awards for continuing students begins in late early June. All new students are formally notified of their financial aid awards in a letter sent to the home address via the US mail and the student's Pitt email. All revised awards will be sent to the student's Pitt email. All returning students will receive their award letters via their Pitt email.Once classes begin, all students are emailed their award letters to their Pitt email address.

Once application processing begins, financial aid applications are reviewed weekly on a continuous basis. If you complete your financial aid application after July 1 and do not receive a financial aid award letter within three weeks of the date your application was complete, please contact our office.

When Will I Receive My Financial Aid?

Grants, scholarships, and loans administered by the University Financial Aid Office are first applied directly to your university student account to pay charges for tuition, fees, room and board and other university charges. Financial aid awarded for a specific term can only pay for charges for that same term. Financial aid administered by the University Financial Aid Office is paid (disbursed) to you no sooner than 10 days prior to the start date of each term, provided that you have:

  • Responded to all requests from the Financial Aid Office for additional information.
  • Enrolled at least half-time (6 hours for undergraduates). Please note that many grants and scholarships require full-time enrollment before disbursement.
  • Completed/signed all applicable Master Promissory Notes (MPNs) and entrance interviews required for student loans.
  • Links for entrance interviews and Master Promissory Notes:
  • Federal Direct Loan Online Entrance Interview and Master Promissory Note

Federal Work Study Payment

Federal Work Study awards are earned as wages by working in positions with eligible employers. Once you begin your employment under the Federal Work Study program, you will receive payment for the hours worked on a bi-weekly basis. It is your responsibility to make sure that the payroll paperwork necessary to add your record to the University payroll system is complete before you begin to work. To ensure that you receive your paycheck bi-weekly, it is your responsibility to make sure that your time record is submitted by the payroll deadline each pay period.

Private Scholarships and Grants

When your scholarship or grant payment from a private source (aid provided from sources other than the University Financial Aid Office) is sent to the University, it will be applied to your University student account, one-half for each semester, unless otherwise specified by the scholarship sponsor. If the payment creates a credit balance on your University student account, the credit will be refunded to you. It is your responsibility to report to the Financial Aid Office all financial aid received by you from any source outside of the Financial Aid office as it is considered a resource for financial aid purposes and could affect other aid you are receiving.